Quick stepper

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present invention is to provide access to some outside portions of a vehicle that is difficult to reach. The solution provided consist of two steps temporarily attached to a vehicle tire and supported with webbing material and pressure activated hangers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to tire steps, and more specifically tosteps that are quick and easy to use.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

This invention challenges the problem of a person entering the haulingbed of a truck which is, most often, a farm type pickup truck. Theproblem is escalated if a trailer is attached and if the trailer is agooseneck variety, the problem is further increased.

The gooseneck trailer tongue hitches to a towing ball located over therear axle and centered in the hauling bed of a truck. The attachmentmechanism is physically lowered and locked or unlocked on the ball and,because of the hitching location, is difficult to reach, or impossiblefor some, if standing on the surface that also lays beneath the wheels.Temporary steps are needed to make reaching this mechanism moreattainable and the most logical and convenient location to mount stepsis on a tire and wheel assembly.

Other situations where the present invention can be helpful are loadingand unloading top carrier racks on vehicles, notably, sport utilityvehicles, and servicing or repairing engines of most vehicles.

Although similar ideas and methods have been introduced, the presentinvention is uniquely easy to use, simple in design, versatile andinexpensive to produce. Thus, it provides a quick acceptable solutionfor the foregoing problems mentioned and, possibly, many not mentioned.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides two temporary steps attached to a tireand loosely draped over the wheel of a vehicle. The steps are centeredbetween, and fastened to, a strap, comprised of webbing material, placednear each end of the parallel steps. The web straps are riveted to metalstrips that are in line with the straps and formed to hook over the toparea of the tire and lock. The invention is portable and easily attachedor removed. The materials used enable a variety of color choices. Inaddition, the flexible webbing design provides a durable light weightunit that collapses for storing in a compact space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the invention in a mounted position on a tire and wheel.

FIG. 2 is one of the two fabricated hangers that secures the inventionon the tire. The hanger is locked, due to weight pressure applied, onthe blind side of a tire and attached to the web strap that supports oneside of the parallel steps as seen in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a tire 1 and wheel 2 assembly with the invention placed on thetire 1. Two steps 3, fabricated to contact the outside tire 1 wall, aresecured, both front and back, with fasteners 4 at convenient levelsbetween web straps 5. The steps 3 are parallel to each other and thesurface beneath the tire 1. The webbing 5 cradles the bottom step 3 neareach end, this enables a continuous web strap 5 to be used on each sideof the invention. Both straps 5, placed against the tire 1, areconnected to medal hangers 6 at a position on the back side of the tire1. A cross strap 7, also webbing material, is in place near the centerof the rolling surface on the tire 1 and fastened to the web straps 5.The opposite end of the continuous web straps 5 pass up the front sideof the steps 3 and stop after riveted to both the cross strap 7 andbottom strap 5.

FIG. 2 is an upscale drawing of a tire 1 and shows a typical metalhanger 6 positioned on the back side of the tire 1. The hangers 6 have aunique design that intensifies holding strength as more pressure fromweight applied to the steps 3 increases. Both ends of the typical webstrap 5 is visible with one end riveted 9 to the typical medal hanger 6.Rivets 8 connect the other end of the typical strap 5 to both the crossstrap 7 and the typical web strap 5, beneath.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the twosteps 3 are formed of a molded plastic or pressure treated woodmaterial. The 1½ inch wide webbing 5 is flexible plastic and securedwith 3/16 inch steel rivets 8 where jointed. Also, the said rivets areused to rivet 9 the metal hangers 6 to the straps 5. The hangers arefabricated from 1¼×⅛ inch mild steel and coated with plastic. Inconclusion, the fasteners 4, used to secure the steps 3 to the straps 5,can be screws if the steps are a solid material, or the said rivets ifstructural molded plastic is used.

Those skilled in the art will understand, from the foregoing, that theinvention has been described with reference to its preferredembodiments. Also, it should be understood, by those skilled, that theimplementation of other variations and modifications of the inventionwill be apparent and such changes may be made and still fit within thespirit and scope of the present invention, which is intended to belimited only by the accompanying claims.

1. Two fabricated steps positioned on a vehicle tire supported, withscrews or rivets, between two flexible straps, a cross strap riveted tosaid flexible straps and hangers riveted to each of the two flexiblestrap ends.
 2. The tire step device of claim 1, wherein said steps arefabricated from pressure treated wood material.
 3. The tire step deviceof claim 1, wherein said steps are fabricated using a plastic material.4. The tire step device of claim 3, wherein said plastic material ispolypropylene.
 5. The tire step device of claim 1, wherein the strapscomprise a webbing material.
 6. The tire step device of claim 5, whereinsaid webbing material is made of plastic.
 7. The tire step device ofclaim 6, wherein said plastic is polyester.
 8. The tire step device ofclaim 6, wherein said plastic is nylon.
 9. The tire step device of claim6, wherein said plastic is polypropylene.
 10. The tire step device ofclaim 1, wherein the two hangers are fabricated from mild steelmaterial.
 11. The tire step device of claim 1, wherein said coating onthe hangers is plastic.
 12. The tire step device of claim 11, whereinsaid plastic is comprised of polypropylene.
 13. The tire step device ofclaim 1, wherein said rivets are steel.
 14. The tire step device ofclaim 1, wherein said screws are standard cadmium plated.